Sunday, April 16, 2017

Generalization from Particular

One peculiarity of the Hindu mind is that it always inquires for the last possible generalization, leaving the details to be worked out afterwards. 
The question is raised in the Vedas, "What is that, knowing which, we shall know everything?" Thus, all books, and all philosophies that have been written, have been only to prove that by knowing which everything is known. 
If a man wants to know this universe bit by bit he must know every individual grain of sand, which means infinite time; he cannot know all of them. Then how can knowledge be? 
How is it possible for a man to be all-knowing through particulars? 
The Yogis say that behind this particular manifestation there is a generalization. 
Behind all particular ideas stands a generalized, an abstract principle; grasp it, and you have grasped everything. 
                                                   - Swami Vivekananda, 
                                                   Raja-Yoga (Classes in New York)


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